2023-11-22 05:15:00
The Spanish steel industry “is firmly committed to decarbonization”, but “the lack of proven technological developments on an industrial scale and the great volatility of energy prices make it difficult” for them to “undertake the necessary investments”, said yesterday Unesid, the Spanish steel employers’ association, in a congratulatory message to the new Minister of Industry, Jordi Hereuby his appointment.
The Union of Steel Companies (Unesid), of which ArcelorMittal is a member, highlighted “the need for electro-intensive consumers and, specifically the steel industry, to have electricity at a price that allows them to compete on equal terms with the main countries Europeans (Germany and France)” and specified, in statements by the general secretary of the employers’ association, Andres Barcelo, that “without this requirement it will be very difficult for companies to undertake the important investments required to decarbonize.” And he added: “We need a solid energy policy, which is based on technological neutrality, thus providing security to the industry, especially the electro-intensive industry.”
The sectoral organization maintained that “there is no point in decarbonizing our facilities if we are not going to have alternative energy vectors in time” (in reference to green hydrogen), “in sufficient quantity and at prices that do not make the manufacture of Spanish steel so expensive.” that no one buys it.”
This statement by Unesid occurred on the same day that the ministers of the new Spanish Government took office and when concern is growing over ArcelorMittal’s delay in approving the construction of the direct reduction furnace (DRI) that, fueled with green hydrogen, It would allow the replacement of one of the two Veriña blast furnaces and undertake the decarbonization of the Asturian steel headquarter, preserving the condition of an integral factory in the future. At the moment, ArcelorMittal has committed to the construction of the future hybrid electric furnace that will replace the Gijón steel plant, but not yet the DRI (the most expensive action of a total investment estimated at 1,000 million) even though on April 4 the Government approved to aid of 450 million previously authorized by the European Commission for this installation.
The Government said in September that the price of energy is set by the market and that it cannot intervene.
Unesid intends to meet with Hereu to express the needs of the sector. Among others, the employers’ association reiterates that in the PERTE decarbonization priority be given to large driving projects (Unesid represents large industry) and that looser deadlines be granted, currently limited to March 2026: “There is no point in demanding that we Let’s decarbonize tomorrow, if there is not enough technology or energy to do it. And March 2026 is tomorrow,” said the steel employers’ association.
Collective agreement
On the other hand, a new negotiating meeting for the ArcelorMittal collective agreement was held yesterday in Asturias without significant progress and three meetings have been called for next week to try to reach an agreement.
The industrial business slows its fall in Asturias to 5.3% after five months in double digits
The turnover of the Asturian industry fell by 5.3% year-on-year in September in Asturias, which represents a notable attenuation of the fall after having chained five consecutive months with double-digit declines. The decrease in the Principality was four tenths less than the average. Only five regions closed positively. Asturias was the fourth with the least decline. On average so far this year, Asturias has lost 9%, only surpassed by Murcia (-11.3%). The Spanish average falls 1% in nine months. The turnover is conditioned by the sales volume and also by industrial prices, which have been relaxing for months.
Madrid leads year-on-year industrial growth, while it is the community in which business in the service sector plummets the most (-6%), which is its main productive specialty. Asturias, on the contrary, is the third region with the highest year-on-year growth in services turnover in September, with an improvement of 5.5%, although lower than July and August due to the tourism effect.
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